Acts Of Kindness!

Good Morning, friends. I hope everyone is doing well! It’s been another eventful week for my family. Towards the end of last week, my brother ended up in a car accident. Thankfully, he’s okay. He’s a bit shaken up and has injured his leg, but other than that, he’s fine. The car, however, is not. He and my sister are now having to look for a new one as it has been officially written off. As for the other driver, they were absolutely to blame for the accident happening as they illegally sped in the bus lane and crashed into my brother whilst wearing flip slops (which is not illegal in the UK but it should be as drivers should be banned from wearing them as they are dangerous footwear to drive in). Aside from that happening, I’ve been really poorly again, my body is struggling to maintain anything and I can feel it getting weaker again, but trying to get in contact with anyone to help has not been helpful in any way, as the receptionists are either rude and disrespectful or they lie about you, why can’t people just be kind?

Speaking of kindness, it brings me nicely to this week’s post…
Research shows that helping others can be good for our mental health. It reduces stress, improves our emotional well-being, and even benefits our physical health. In short, doing good does you good.
It’s essential to look out for each other in and around our communities. This is how we protect and maintain good mental health for all. If you do nothing else today, keep an eye out for an opportunity to help someone with a random act of kindness or hold onto that warm feeling when someone helps you.
Doing something nice for someone doesn’t cost a lot of time or money. It’s the small things in life that can make a big difference, Sharing a compliment or letting someone go ahead of you in line may seem like a small thing at the moment, but these little random acts of kindness can really add up and make the world feel like a nicer, safer place. Plus they often have ripple effects, spreading kindness far beyond the person you originally helped.

You can’t deny the power of a random act of kindness. Whether it’s an unexpected uplifting message or, someone treating you to a cup of coffee – it’s amazing how a random act of kindness can transform your day. First, be kind to yourself, we only have this one precious life so think about the best way to expend your energy. It is also a choice, it is how you show up for each other, so it’s not an easy option. But we consistently hold each other accountable for our commitment to kindness above all else, and with Christmas just a few weeks away, it makes it harder to be kind not just to ourselves but to others as well. Christmas is usually a time of good cheer and gladness, but, for many, it can be a time of great difficulty. Some may be mourning the loss of a loved one, while others may struggle to provide for their family. To help spread some kindness and make someone’s day, especially coming up to the festive period, here are a few ideas you can try!

Visit A Senior Home and Deliver A Kind Surprise

Consider spending time at a senior home to bring a thoughtful surprise to the residents. This gesture doesn’t need to involve money; many seniors often feel isolated due to family living far away or having no relatives at all. Simply visiting them a few times a month to share a meal, read a book, or engage in conversation can make a significant difference. Our elders possess rich histories and fascinating stories that offer invaluable insights into life, far beyond what any history book can provide.

Send A Letter To A Friend Or Family Member You Haven’t Talked To In A While

Haven’t seen a family member or friend for a while? Don’t just text them, send them a letter so they know how special they are to you.

Be An Active Listener When In The Company Of Others

Being an attentive listener in social settings is crucial, as many individuals can feel isolated even in a crowd. Being present and showing your willingness to engage can impact someone’s experience positively.

Donate To Your Local Food Bank

Anytime is a time of giving and sharing, but even more so at Christmas. Why not spread some joy this year by donating what you can to those in need. Food supplies — such as cupboard essentials, dry goods, and long-lasting items — are always needed at food banks. It’s a great way to show kindness during the holidays.

Some of the ways you can donate food include:

• Directly to your local food bank – find your nearest one here.
• At collection points in supermarkets across the country.
• Host a collection at your school, church, or business for your local food bank. Always check first with what food banks are looking for, and whether they are still running.

Donate Old Clothes to a Charity

As the gift-giving time gets underway, check in with your local homeless shelter or favorite charity and find out what they need. Hats, gloves, socks, and toiletries are always great ideas as they’re pretty much always needed, and you can donate any of your other old clothes too. The charity will be grateful, and you could help someone stay warm this winter too.

Donate Pet Supplies To Your Local Shelter

Donations made to local animal shelters are always incredibly welcome at Christmastime. If you’re looking to bring joy to a cat or dog, something as simple as a ping-pong ball or catnip toy can go a long way.

Check with your local shelter to see what their regulations are around donating. For more information on what to give, head over to Battersea Cats and Dogs’ website or RSPCA.

Give Someone A Compliment

It’s such a simple gesture, something you can easily do every day, and it will leave everyone smiling. It doesn’t have to be complicated, you can complement someone’s earrings, their smile, a shirt, or even how good their brew-making skills are! The possibilities are endless, and a genuine complement will leave anyone feeling loved.

Check-In on Your Friends and Neighbours

Send a quick text or make a phone call just to say, “Hi, how are you?”, and brighten someone’s day with a much-needed catch-up, a little gossip, and some silly jokes. Check in with your elderly neighbors and see if they need any help. Consider sending them a ‘Thinking of You’ card, with a heartfelt note they can cherish and read whenever they need a little boost.

Plan a Meet-Up with Your Best Friend

As the festive rush gets into full swing, take time to slow down and catch up with those you love most. Send a message to your bestie, or closest family member, and plan a catch-up to check in and share any festive news. You could stay cozy at home, find a local coffee shop, or maybe pay a visit to a Christmas market, whatever works for you.

Bake and Share Treats

Share the joy of Christmas by baking and gifting lots of lovely treats to your friends, family, and neighbors. Look for recipes for your favorite bakes or maybe learn a family recipe passed down through the generations—and then get decorating with Christmas-themed icing. It’s the perfect way to get the kids involved and excited about giving by gifting something they’ve made.

Be Kind To People In The Service Industry

It’s important to show kindness to those in the service industry. Many often feel overlooked and unappreciated, despite their hard work and dedication to improving our experiences. A little recognition and gratitude can go a long way in brightening their day.

Let Someone Go Ahead Of You In The Queue

Ah, queueing. It’s so British but so very dull, and at times frustrating. If you’re not in a hurry offering your spot to the person behind you can create a real sense of community, especially if they look like they’re struggling. I see this often at supermarkets, where the small gesture of letting someone with a trolley load ahead costs you very little in time but can mean a lot to them. While there are some places you might not want to try this, it’s fair game when queueing in supermarkets, customer service lines, public transport, and other places where there’s no value placed on position other than time.

Pay For Someone’s Coffee Or Tea

This is a small, inexpensive gesture but can set the day off beautifully. Next time you’re placing your order at the coffee shop or picking up a round for colleagues, consider paying for someone else’s drink too. The frazzled, exhausted commuter in the queue behind you may be grateful. If you’re not a coffee drinker you can try this with a bunch of other things, like getting someone’s lunch or picking up cake or cookies for the office. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture, just something thoughtful.

Ask Someone How Their Day Was (– And Offer Help If Needed)

All too often we ask people how they’re feeling or how their day was without meaning, it’s just another social convention. Every now and then take some time to delve a little deeper, listen to someone’s story, and ask if there’s anything you can support them with. Maybe they’re looking for backers for an upcoming charity run or want some advice on decorating their home – if it’s something you can help with, and you genuinely want to, then do.

Pass On Bus Tickets And Loyalty Cards

Still have some time before your daily bus ticket expires but you don’t need it anymore? Pass it on to someone waiting at a bus stop. I’ve had this happen to me a few times and, even though it only saves me a few pounds, it’s really made me smile. It costs you nothing after all, so if you can spare it, do. This works well with loyalty cards too. You’ve got enough stickers for a free coffee or sandwich? Pass the card on to someone so they can benefit from it.

Create A Care Parcel

Do you know someone who’s struggling or unwell? Sending them a care parcel out of the blue is a lovely way to let them know you’ve got their back. It doesn’t need to be an expensive hamper, a small gift and a thoughtful note inside a card are often enough to make someone feel that little bit better.

Leave A Positive Comment On A Blog

As a blogger, I also read a lot of different blogs and it’s one of my aims this year to leave more comments. Why? Because only a very small percentage of readers will leave a comment, but I know that every single comment is read and appreciated by the blogger. So if you’ve enjoyed reading a post or have something to say make sure you leave a comment.

Share Something You’ve Enjoyed Reading Or Watching

Similar to the one above, if you’ve read, watched, or crafted something and enjoyed it then share it! Share a recipe that’s become a family favorite, a blog that touched your heart, or a competition that someone you know would love to enter. It’s an easy way to thank the creator, support family and friends with their goals, or spread awareness or joy.

Offer To Give Someone A Lift To Work

It might sound like a simple idea, but with the current UK cost of living crisis, car sharing might really help you to save money by splitting petrol costs. It can also remove some stress with morning commutes to work for people who use public transport! 

Pick Up Trash

Looking for examples of small, random acts of kindness that are super easy to do? You might be surprised that it’s as simple as throwing away any trash you see while you’re out in public. While you’re taking a stroll or enjoying lunch outside, be on the lookout for any pieces of trash. We can all do our part in keeping our communities litter-free. Take it a step further by supporting a charity that does great work to protect the environment. People may even see you making the effort and follow your lead.

Smile At Strangers

A simple gesture like smiling at strangers goes a long way! When walking down the street or going about your day-to-day errands, try smiling at people passing by – you never know what kind of impact it may have on their day. One smile could turn their whole day around and maybe even inspire them to do something kind for someone else as well!

Be Kind to Yourself 

Although this is at the end of my list in many ways this is the most important act of kindness. Show yourself some compassion today whilst you’re busy planning and acting out kindness to everyone else. Sometimes it is easier to give someone a compliment or take care of their needs than it is to be your own supporter. Our inner critic can be loud sometimes and we must challenge what they have to say. Today, tell yourself that you are more than enough, just as you are. Recognize all of your achievements and avoid comparing yourself to other people. Give yourself a compliment

I challenge you this week to try a new random act of kindness. It could be one from this list or one you’ve thought of, but give it a go and see what happens. I’d love you to share the results here too, or maybe you can share a story of your favorite act – either one you’ve done for others or one you’ve been on the receiving end of.

Thank you for coming to my blog and reading today’s post, I hope you all have a lovely week, if you decide to venture out – make sure to wrap up warm as that air is definitely fresh in the morning. For now though I shall bid you adieu.